When putting, the position of the feet, hand grip, are all important. Also of importance is the actual putting stroke. The stroke must be smooth in both the back and forward movement and lie in the plane of the desired initial path of the ball. It is with this latter requirement a smooth, directionally controlled stroke that the golfing aid is directed.
An early attempt to obtain proper alignment of the stroke is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 792,631 "Golf Club" by F. W. Taylor. Taylor discloses a "Y" shaped putting club. When using this club the golfer directly faces the hole with his feet apart straddling the ball. The arms of the "Y" have small extensions thereon, which nest in the crook of the golfer's arms. The golfer grasps the club at the junction of the arms and the leg and swings the club in a pendulum like motion with the rotation point being the extensions on the arms of the club. Thus, the forearms rotate about the elbow with the club swinging back between the golfer's legs and then forward to strike the ball. However, while this club provides an ideal putting stroke, such clubs are generally not allowed in tournament play. Furthermore, the rules of golf now require that the golfer stand to one side of the ball. He may not straddle it.
Another approach to obtaining the proper stroke is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 760,161 "Golf Club" by H. P. Smith. Here a handle is fastened to the gripping end of the club which extends in a plane parallel to the striking surface of the club head. Thus, when putting, the golfer can grip both the shaft of the club and the handle. However, such a handle would also not be allowed in tournament play.
Another device to aid the golfer in putting is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,317 "Putter" by C. Vezina. A handle is rotatively mounted to the club shaft again in a plane parallel to the striking surface of the club head. With the handle rotatably mounted to the shaft the handle becomes the pivot point for the club, thus providing a pendulum action. Again, this club is not usuable in tournament play.
In addition, to the illegality of the above putters for tournament play, these clubs require the golfer to assume nonconventional stances and grips, etc., which most golfers find unacceptable. However, there have been devices produced to aid the golfer in making conventional swings with conventional clubs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,273,416 "Golf Instruction Device" by J. W. Norwood discloses a devise to help a golfer perfect a conventional grip, (the foreward hand above the rear hand) and stroke. The device consists of a guide member which rests against the shaft of the club and has an extension therefrom which terminates in a band which fasteners around the wrist of the golfer. With the device attached to the wrist of the rear arm and the member in contact with the golf shaft, the shape and dimensions of the device are such that the desired angular disposition of the club to the wrists and hands of the golfer are properly positioned. While such a device could possibly aid the golfer, most would find having such a device attached to the wrist unacceptable, even when practicing.
Thus, with the prior art cited above in mind, it is a primary object of the subject invention to provide a device to aid the golfer to properly stroke the ball when using a conventional putter and putting stroke.
It is another primary object of the subject invention to provide a device that can be removably attached to a putter, to aid the golfer to properly stroke the ball when practicing and which can be removed when actually playing a round of golf.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide a device to aid a golfer to properly stroke the ball when putting which can be retracted to facilitate storage of the putter in a golf bag.